Best Selling Books by Paul Kennedy

The Parliament of Man is the first definitive history of the United Nations, from one of America''s greatest living historians.Distinguished scholar Paul Kennedy, author of the bestselling The Rise and Fall of Great Powers, gives us a thorough and timely account that explains the UN''s roots and functions while also casting an objective eye on its effectiveness and its prospects for success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead. Kennedy shows the UN for what it is: fallible, human-based, often dependent on the whims of powerful national governments or the foibles of individual administrators—yet also utterly indispensable. With his insightful grasp of six decades of global history, Kennedy convincingly argues that "it is difficult to imagine how much more riven and ruinous our world of six billion people would be if there had been no UN."

Kennedy''s groundbreaking book The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers helped to reorder the current priorities of the United States. Now, he synthesizes extensive research on fields ranging from demography to robotics to draw a detailed, persuasive, and often sobering map of the very near future--a bold work that bridges the gap between history, prophecy, and policy.

Paul Kennedy''s classic naval history, now updated with a new introduction by the author This acclaimed book traces Britain''s rise and fall as a sea power from the Tudors to the present day. Challenging the traditional view that the British are natural ''sons of the waves'', he suggests instead that the country''s fortunes as a significant maritime force have always been bound up with its economic growth. In doing so, he contributes significantly to the centuries-long debate between ''continental'' and ''maritime'' schools of strategy over Britain''s policy in times of war. Setting British naval history within a framework of national, international, economic, political and strategic considerations, he offers a fresh approach to one of the central questions in British history. A new introduction extends his analysis into the twenty-first century and reflects on current American and Chinese ambitions for naval mastery. ''Excellent and stimulating'' Correlli Barnett ''The first scholar to have set the sweep of British Naval history against the background of economic history'' Michael Howard, Sunday Times ''By far the best study that has ever been done on the subject ... a sparkling and apt quotation on practically every page'' Daniel A. Baugh, International History Review ''The best single-volume study of Britain and her naval past now available to us'' Jon Sumida, Journal of Modern History

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Paul Kennedy, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers and one of today’s most renowned historians, now provides a new and unique look at how World War II was won. Engineers of Victory is a fascinating nuts-and-bolts account of the strategic factors that led to Allied victory. Kennedy reveals how the leaders’ grand strategy was carried out by the ordinary soldiers, scientists, engineers, and businessmen responsible for realizing their commanders’ visions of success. In January 1943, FDR and Churchill convened in Casablanca and established the Allied objectives for the war: to defeat the Nazi blitzkrieg; to control the Atlantic sea lanes and the air over western and central Europe; to take the fight to the European mainland; and to end Japan’s imperialism. Astonishingly, a little over a year later, these ambitious goals had nearly all been accomplished. With riveting, tactical detail, Engineers of Victory reveals how. Kennedy recounts the inside stories of the invention of the cavity magnetron, a miniature radar “as small as a soup plate,” and the Hedgehog, a multi-headed grenade launcher that allowed the Allies to overcome the threat to their convoys crossing the Atlantic; the critical decision by engineers to install a super-charged Rolls-Royce engine in the P-51 Mustang, creating a fighter plane more powerful than the Luftwaffe’s; and the innovative use of pontoon bridges (made from rafts strung together) to help Russian troops cross rivers and elude the Nazi blitzkrieg. He takes readers behind the scenes, unveiling exactly how thousands of individual Allied planes and fighting ships were choreographed to collectively pull off the invasion of Normandy, and illuminating how crew chiefs perfected the high-flying and inaccessible B-29 Superfortress that would drop the atomic bombs on Japan. The story of World War II is often told as a grand narrative, as if it were fought by supermen or decided by fate. Here Kennedy uncovers the real heroes of the war, highlighting for the first time the creative strategies, tactics, and organizational decisions that made the lofty Allied objectives into a successful reality. In an even more significant way, Engineers of Victory has another claim to our attention, for it restores “the middle level of war” to its rightful place in history. Praise for Engineers of Victory “Superbly written and carefully documented . . . indispensable reading for anyone who seeks to understand how and why the Allies won.”—The Christian Science Monitor “An important contribution to our understanding of World War II . . . Like an engineer who pries open a pocket watch to reveal its inner mechanics, [Paul] Kennedy tells how little-known men and women at lower levels helped win the war.”—Michael Beschloss, The New York Times Book Review “Histories of World War II tend to concentrate on the leaders and generals at the top who make the big strategic decisions and on the lowly grunts at the bottom. . . . [Engineers of Victory] seeks to fill this gap in the historiography of World War II and does so triumphantly. . . . This book is a fine tribute.”—The Wall Street Journal “[Kennedy] colorfully and convincingly illustrates the ingenuity and persistence of a few men who made all the difference.”—The Washington Post “This superb book is Kennedy’s best.”—Foreign Affairs

About national and international power in the "modern" or Post Renaissance period. Explains how the various powers have risen and fallen over the 5 centuries since the formation of the "new monarchies" in W. Europe.

A look at the events leading up to Japan’s surrender in World War II, from the New York Times–bestselling author of Engineers of Victory. By the spring of 1943, Japan had a tight grip on the countries and territories of East Asia and the Western Pacific. But the Allies had won decisive victories at Midway and Guadalcanal, and they were coming for the rest of Japan’s conquests. Now the empire of Japan would be on the defensive. Featuring a new introduction by the author, this book picks up where Pacific Onslaught left off, providing a detailed, step-by-step account of the Allies’ unstoppable rally across territories annexed by the Japanese in a brutal two-pronged attack across New Guinea and the Philippines, and the islands of the central Pacific. Here you’ll find detailed contemporary accounts and strategy, from the epic battles of the Gilberts and Marshalls to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan’s final surrender on the decks of the USS Missouri.

These "troublesome tales" take place in territories where the familiar and the expected quickly evolve into quirky, humorous, and sometimes dark variations. From a John Doe who discovers a scrap of extraterrestrial clothing to a Godfrey Daniel doomed to inhabit an assortment of hells, the characters and landscapes of this "unfortunate collection" will challenge and charm the adventurous reader....

Chrissie and Anthony Foster were like any other young family, raising their three daughters in suburban Melbourne with what they hoped were the right values. Chrissie could not have known that the stranger-danger she feared actually lurked in the presbytery attached to the girls'' Catholic primary school. Father Kevin O''Donnell, a long-term paedophile, lived and worked there. Two of their young daughters became victims of O''Donnell. And once the truth was revealed, the Fosters began a battle to find out how this could have happened. The Church offered silence, lies, denials and threats. Meanwhile, their daughters tried to piece together their fractured lives. This is the chilling true story that made national and international headlines. Chrissie Foster''s heartbreaking account of her family''s suffering, and their determination to stand up for themselves against the might of the Catholic Church, is testament to the strength of a mother''s love, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Tasha, a rebellious teenager, runs away from a threatening family situation. Arriving in London she meets Ann Swinton, a well-off woman who, with her husband, Steven, helps runaway and homeless children. Eighteen months later Ann is brutally murdered at her home while her husband is away on a fishing trip. Police suspicion falls on Steven and a few days later he is found dead in his car, having supposedly committed suicide. But Tasha''s life has become entangled with other young runaways, an Italian hotel waiter, several Ukrainian prostitutes and their pimp, Giorgio, who Tasha meets soon after her arrival. All struggle to forge a living at the margins of London''s multi-national society. When Tasha seeks refuge with Giorgio she accidentally uncovers the operations of a vicious gang who are kidnapping runaways like herself. When they discover that Tasha has reported their activities to Ann Swinton their lives are placed in imminent danger. Indeed, Tasha only narrowly avoids death after escaping from her locked room. When DI Tariq Hassan and his new colleague DS Sue Bridges are assigned the formidable task of tracking this gang down they desperately need Tasha''s help. But is she still alive and where is she hiding?

A diverse collection of essays on twentieth century popular protest movements, considering their dynamics and dilemmas.

The sinking of the Process in catastrophically rough seas off Victoria''s Mornington Peninsular in 1892, with the loss of all on board - including three popular brothers, Hugh, Willie and Jim Caldwell, sons of the Presbyterian minister - horrified Australia. ''Such an accident has no parallel in our land''s history'', reported the Argus. Yet somehow, for more than a century, this heartbreaking event slipped from Australia''s consciousness.

Ancient giants in a desolate land; a mysterious death in Academe; an ambush in a spooky glade; and surprising moral conundrums: facts and fabrications weave together unforgettably in this charming “mongrel mixture” of tales.

"Like all Treatments-That-Work programs, this treatment is evidence-based. In the author''s clinical studies, CET has proven to successfully reduce levels of depression and anxiety in individuals with spinal cord injury, and also resulted in changes in negative self-perception and improved self-efficiacy. The intervention consists of seven, 60-75 minute sessions run two a week in small groups of six to nine people. By working in small groups, participants are able to share experience and build a community, reducing the sense of isolation that often results from sever injury. A corresponding workbook provides monitoring forms, homework exercises, and other user-friendly techniques to continue the work outside of therapy."--BOOK JACKET.

The third edition explores global issues at the heart of sociological discussion, with an updated focus on globalism, social media, migration, and more The first, pioneering editions of Global Sociology put global issues at the heart of sociological discussion. Much has changed in the world since then; recessions, revolutions, social media, and new migration networks have developed as causes and symptoms of an increasingly global society. This new edition is fully updated to explore just how these global issues can help us to understand sociology in our world today. Making clear connections between everyday experiences and global processes at each step, the third edition carefully guides readers through essential and cutting-edge topics in the discipline, from family and feminism to environment and economy. Features such as biography boxes on key thinkers in the field, a thorough glossary, and review questions introduce and reinforce the book’s core ideas. With clear writing and infectious enthusiasm for its topic, Global Sociology remains the authority on global issues in sociology for students at a variety of skill levels.

A gas-station attendant waits wistfully for a mysterious young woman in a Mustang; astronauts find a promising, but curiously empty, planet; a modern corporation enjoys an eye-opening transformation; and an Irish lass gains enduring fame in post-colonial Pennsylvania: These and other "preposterous accounts" await readers who appreciate a wry angle and a wicked wit in this eclectic collection of stories....

There are few more moving experiences than for the silenced to be heard. Chrissie Foster is the mother who brought the rich and powerful Catholic Church to its knees over its global abuse of children, including two of her daughters, Emma and Katie. Like the Boston Globe''s Spotlight team, she built an undeniable case in her first book, Hell on the Way to Heaven, which helped inspire Australian governments to hold world-leading inquiries. This is what happened next. Grieving the death of Emma and the catastrophic accident that left Katie largely using a wheelchair and unable to care for herself, and bullied by the Catholic Church, Chrissie Foster somehow found the strength to win and bring about changes in child safety that she hopes will last forever. From the cities and towns of Australia all the way to Rome, her tenacity and bravery to see justice delivered are unequalled. In this confronting account she explains the incredible battle she fought together with her husband, Anthony, and how she found the strength to continue even after his tragic and untimely death. Her ongoing activism inspires others to challenge once-powerful male-dominated institutions. In the face of horrifying adversity, Chrissie Foster has come through it to a place of peace.

“An excellent study of evangelicalism” from the award-winning sociologist and author of Souls in Transition and Soul Searching (Library Journal). Evangelicalism is one of the strongest religious traditions in America today; twenty million Americans identify themselves with the evangelical movement. Given the modern pluralistic world we live in, why is evangelicalism so popular? Based on a national telephone survey and more than three hundred personal interviews with evangelicals and other churchgoing Protestants, this study provides a detailed analysis of the commitments, beliefs, concerns, and practices of this thriving group. Examining how evangelicals interact with and attempt to influence secular society, this book argues that traditional, orthodox evangelicalism endures not despite, but precisely because of, the challenges and structures of our modern pluralistic environment. This work also looks beyond evangelicalism to explore more broadly the problems of traditional religious belief and practice in the modern world. With its impressive empirical evidence, innovative theory, and substantive conclusions, American Evangelicalism will provoke lively debate over the state of religious practice in contemporary America. “Based on a three-year study of American evangelicals, Smith takes the pulse of contemporary evangelicalism and offers substantial evidence of a strong heartbeat . . . Evangelicalism is thriving, says Smith, not by being countercultural or by retreating into isolation but by engaging culture at the same time that it constructs, maintains and markets its subcultural identity. Although Smith depends heavily on sociological theory, he makes his case in an accessible and persuasive style that will appeal to a broad audience.” —Publishers Weekly

A look at the early years of the Pacific conflict in World War II, by the New York Times–bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers. Japan had mighty ambitions: to control the Western Pacific. The attack on Pearl Harbor devastated their primary obstacle—the American Pacific fleet—and they swept across the region. What ensued was a bitter struggle in which many thousands of soldiers lost their lives on both sides. This is the first book in Paul Kennedy’s chronicle of the Pacific conflict in World War II, concluded in Pacific Victory. Featuring a new introduction by the author, this book provides a close, step-by-step narrative of the Japanese expansion into the Western Pacific during some of the most brutal years of World War II. Offering contemporary analysis of war strategy, it includes a riveting look at Japan’s tightening grip on Hong Kong, New Guinea, the Philippines, and other key strategic locations—and the Allies’ inexorable struggle against it.

Globalization is widely accepted as being a defining process of our modern society. But to what extent do individuals think, feel or act in a way that takes account of the whole world? Do globalization processes really affect us in our everyday lives? And, if so, where are the boundaries between local and global society? This book investigates how local and global studies overlap and interact by examining how real, local lives function under global conditions. It begins by unravelling the most important concepts and debates in the field, opening them up to scrutiny and testing their assumptions through recent case studies and empirical material. The book goes on to examine the power of local forces in forming global processes and explores our attachment to local vs global identities, whilst asking if we can build on our local attachments to move towards a world society. From concerns about the international economy and growing global inequalities to worldwide fears of organized crime and terrorism, this insightful book suggests a new way of looking at the interaction of local and global transformations. Local Lives and Global Transformations gives student readers the knowledge and the encouragement to push the boundaries of their understanding of globalization. It is inspiring reading for all those studying and interested in globalization throughout the social sciences.

This book argues that in recent decades an unrestrained vampire-capitalism has emerged, disengaged from the needs of citizens and workers, leading to a deepening of social class, generational, gender, educational and ethnic divisions. The author explores how our cultural obsession with self-realization undermines our capacity for collective action and ability to confront threats such as climate change and the impact of the rapid advance of technology on labour. Drawing on sociology and political economy as well as worldwide case studies, the chapters interrogate how we arrived at these dilemmas and how we might escape them through establishing alternative social economies. Vampire Capitalism will be of interest to students and scholars across a range of disciplines, including sociology, social theory, globalisation studies, development studies, political economy, geography, politics and social policy.

This book considers the most electorally successful political party in Spain, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which was in government for two of the three decades since it won office under Felipe González in 1982. Providing rich historical background, the book’s main focus is on the period since General Franco’s death in 1975. It charts Spain’s modernisation under the PSOE, with a particular focus on the role played by European integration in this process. Covering events including the 2011 general election, the book is one of the most up-to-date works available in English and will be of great interest to academics and undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of Spanish and European studies.

The true story of a legendary SAS soldier who participated in the battle of Mirbat and assaulted the Iranian Embassy to free the hostages held within. No publicity, no media. We move in silently, do our job, and melt away into the background. If you have the stamina, the willpower and the guts, we''ll welcome you with open arms and make you one of us. And if you haven''t, then it''s been very nice knowing you. Eighteen years in the SAS saw Pete Winner, codenamed Soldier ''I'', survive the savage battle of Mirbat, parachute into the icy depths of the South Atlantic at the height of the Falklands War, and storm the Iranian Embassy during the most famous hostage crisis in the modern world. For the first time Pete also details his close-protection work around the world, from the lawless streets of Moscow to escorting aid convoys into war-torn Bosnia. He also unveils the problems of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder faced by many Special Forces veterans, and how he battled his own demons to continue his roller-coaster career. This is his story, written with a breathtaking take-no-prisoners attitude that brings each death-defying episode vividly to life.

The King is back! Collectors and fans will love this handy new reference of everything Elvis, with 300 classic photographs, a complete guide to Elvis collectibles including every record he ever made, and an array of other fascinating information. Designed in a convenient carry-along format, this full-color guide offers collectors up-to-date pricing information for records and other collectibles, as well as information on Elvis'' personal history. No other guide to Elvis collectibles offers this much information in such a convenient size and affordable price!